WhenToBird

2 grosbeak species in Missouri

When Do Grosbeaks Arrive in Missouri?

Adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Photo: Nancy Overholtz, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Blue Grosbeaks are the grosbeaks you are most likely to see in Missouri. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Missouri: they arrive in mid April, peak in early May (21% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of July.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 15-21mid April
Common byApr 15-21mid April
PeakMay 1-7early May
Most gone byJul 8-14the second week of July

Best: early May. First arrivals mid April; most are gone by the second week of July. Peak: on about 21% of Missouri checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Junrare
  7. Julrare
  8. Augrare
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Grosbeaks in Missouri, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Rose-breasted GrosbeakApr 15-21Apr 15-21May 1-7Jul 8-1421%
Blue GrosbeakApr 15-21May 1-7Jul 22-31Aug 22-318.2%
0%10%20%30%Rose-breasted GrosbeakBlue GrosbeakJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Blue Grosbeak
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Missouri that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Missouri

Best counties for Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Daviess CountyBest mid May · 24 checklists that week, 1,354 in all66%
  2. Knox CountyBest early May · 18 checklists that week, 215 in all62%
  3. Macon CountyBest the second week of May · 26 checklists that week, 1,377 in all55%
  4. Clark CountyBest late May · 18 checklists that week, 302 in all53%
  5. Adair CountyBest the second week of May · 199 checklists that week, 3,630 in all53%
  6. Randolph CountyBest the second week of June · 12 checklists that week, 838 in all53%

Common questions

When do grosbeaks arrive in Missouri?
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks mostly pass through Missouri: they arrive in mid April, peak in early May (21% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of July.
When do grosbeaks leave Missouri?
Most Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have left Missouri by the second week of July, when reports fall below half their usual rate.
When is the best time to see grosbeaks in Missouri?
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is reported most often in early May, on about 21% of Missouri checklists.
Which grosbeaks are in Missouri?
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Blue Grosbeak are reported regularly; the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is the most common.